


Correspondence

by Isis



Category: The Thing in the Walls Wants Your Small Change - Virginia M. Mohlere, To Whatever - Shaenon Garrity
Genre: Epistolary, Footnotes, Gen, Tiny bit of crossover, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 13:45:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16641297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isis/pseuds/Isis
Summary: Translator’s note: After discovering that I'd saved my correspondence from the early days of our acquaintance, the author of these notes asked for equal time.  As you might expect for a translation from a pandimensional runic language that is not actually written as much as it is instantiated, this is only an approximation.(Or: 'Whatever' writes letters, too.)





	Correspondence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chelonie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chelonie/gifts).



> This is a story for "To Whatever" with a bit of crossover from "The Thing in the Walls Wants Your Small Change". Both stories are available for free online, and are linked from the [Short Stories in the 2018 tagset](https://yuletide.dreamwidth.org/139582.html) post (though the latter's not necessary to understand this story).
> 
> Thanks to Ursula for beta reading.

Translator’s note: After discovering that I'd saved my correspondence from the early days of our acquaintance, the author of these notes asked for equal time. As you might expect for a translation from a pandimensional runic language that is not actually written as much as it is instantiated, this is only an approximation. This is a joint effort with the author, who is a native – well, again, “speaker” isn’t quite the right term – and he (arbitrary pronoun, as standard human gender doesn’t apply to the beings known in our plane of existence as “They Who Walk Between”) assures me that this translation conveys the essentials accurately, even if I’ve kind of handwaved the details.  
– E.M.

Dear Garoghoth [1] – 

I shouldn’t be surprised at your tenacity and creativity – you were always among the brightest of our cloud-clutchmates [2] – but yes, your letter reached me. Of course you know me well enough to figure out that the Elder City’s noise and hubbub would become grating to me, but I’m impressed that, out of all the possibilities, you guessed the right plane of existence.

I’m still finding my way around this dimension, but so far, I like it here. No annoying neighbors who interrupt my work, no screaming demons waking me in the middle of an otherwise restful sleep. The indigenous creatures are not nearly as horrible as the stories told about them make them sound [3]. 

Just one small request – please don’t tell the Mother [4] about my new place. She would only get upset, and you know what happens when she gets upset. (Fortunately this building is made from stone and mostly not flammable.)

– Wleracheron [5]

[1] Obviously not the exact name, but something that kind of sounds like it to human ears.  
[2] More or less equivalent to siblings.  
[3] Thanks, roomie. *rolls eyes* (Okay, admittedly we hadn’t actually met at this point.)  
[4] Not really equivalent to an actual mother, but W vanished in an explosive panic when I asked about her, and cleaning up the metal shards and coarse wet hairs from the living room afterwards was enough of a pain that I’m not doing _that_ again.  
[5] See footnote 1.

* * *

Dear Garoghoth – 

I had no idea you were familiar with this location! I mean, of course I was busy ensuring my own dimensional integrity during the scattering cycle [6], but that’s no excuse, I should have asked afterward. But it makes sense: this building is right on the local nexus, and it’s only a short hop fepward [7] to Ssfara [8]. I may have moved out of the Elder City, but I still go to Oldies Night at Plefanri’s [9] every so often for some foom and lubris [10]. Though honestly, it’s been a while – the local cuisine is really quite good. There’s this amazing stuff called “half & half”, comes in a carton? Did you ever have it when you lived here? Delicious!

– Wleracheron

[6] See _Tore von Schatten_ , pp. 65-73, for a discussion of scattering cycles and their repercussions in the greater multidimensional network of universes.  
[7] Along the fifth dimensional axis in an increasing direction. The decreasing direction is pefward. Yeah, stupid words, blame Lord Chesney who studied the Elder City in the 19th century and came up with them. (‘FEP’ stands for Fifth Elemental Plane, apparently.)  
[8] A neighborhood in the Elder City that resembles a green mandala.  
[9] A bar, named after its owner. It’s actually quite nice, though needless to say, ‘oldies’ in the Elder City are a whole different level of ‘oldie’ than what I was used to.  
[10] An alcoholic beverage and a spicy gelatinous trapezoid, respectively.

* * *

Garoghoth – 

Apologies for the urgent [11] message. Apparently I have committed a faux pas. Do you know where I might obtain more “half & half”? 

– Wleracheron

[11] This was sent not through normal (hah! for some value of ‘normal’!) pandimensional runes, but through the molecular re-arrangement of sheets of metal twisted into weird oblongs. Apparently it sets up some kind of resonance on the other end. If you want more details, see Piper’s _Transmutation and Instantiation_ (if you can find a copy – it’s been out of print for years). I’m not an expert on this, okay?

* * *

To the Guardian of the Yi-Chi Gate: [12]

Salutations and blessings of the spheres to you. In the attached box, I offer: 

  * Two electrum-and-silver ribbons
  * Four brass weavings
  * Four crystal spirals



In return, I ask for whatever coins from this dimension you deem the equivalent of these items. Please let me know if you’d like anything else I might be able to obtain or create for you; I’m considered a fair artisan and am willing to take on custom projects, and I anticipate the need for a steady supply of local currency.

Thank you for your consideration,  
Wleracheron

[12] This letter was not instantiated in runes but rather formed of colored smoke-puffs caught in glass. Needless to say, W. had to translate into runes before I could take a crack at it, so it’s likely errors have crept in. The Yi-Chi Gate is a dimensional portal of some sort. Not sure who this ‘Guardian’ is, but apparently he (she? it? not clear) lives elsewhere in the Perelman Apartments. (Or maybe elsewhen? Elsehow? I’m giving myself a headache thinking about it.)

* * *

Dear Garoghoth –

Thank you so much for the info and explanation – I owe you! After the Guardian accepted my offering and provided me with the coins used on this plane, I moved to the coordinates you gave me [13] during the span indicated by the malapheroth [14] and left them on the altar [15] along with my instructions [16]. When I morphed back through the nexus, there was a paper bag with the items I needed, just as you’d said. There were even a few of the small copper coins left with them. 

I didn’t explain earlier, sorry, but this was a point of contention with the being who inhabits this space in the dimensional reality where I’ve set up my workshop [17]. I think everything’s been smoothed over now, and harmony restored.

Thanks again,  
Wleracheron

[13] The 7-11 at the end of the block.  
[14] Some kind of transdimensional clock? I think?  
[15] The counter by the cash register.  
[16] The words “I need half & half”, and also, “razor”, torn from the note I had left.  
[17] AKA yours truly.

* * *

Dear Garoghoth –

Sorry I haven’t been in touch lately. I’ve been spending a lot of time with – all right, not _with_ with, exactly, but in the same multivariate space as – my co-dimensionalist [18]. Mostly we watch TV in the local evenings. The shows here are really weird, but it’s a nice way to unwind after a long day in the studio. He seems like a nice being, though his odd configuration of (so few!) limbs still makes me do a double-take. He’s introduced me to even more delightful food substances – I have got to bring some “anchovies” to Plefanri, they’d be great with fimbers [19] as a bar snack. Best of all, he respects my personal space. You know I’ve always been a solitary curmudgeon.

Speaking of which (and despite which), if you find yourself in the neighborhood, you’re welcome to stop by. I’m working on a new shaped crystal [20] and I’d love your opinion on my progress. 

– Wleracheron

[18] Roomie (in a pandimensional sense). AKA yours truly.  
[19] Like crackers, only green and bumpy and more elongated. Okay, maybe not like crackers. They taste kind of like arugula.  
[20] Look, I’ve already said I’m sorry about using your artwork to unclog the washing machine. You don’t have to rub it in.

* * *

Dear Garoghoth –

I just got your message – I’m all right! Please don’t panic. Everything has been resolved. I hope you didn’t tell the Mother. (I assume you didn’t, since the nexus seems stable and nothing has blown up recently.) 

The creature in Shadorath Tower is indeed one of the denizens of this plane, and as you have surmised, it was he who captured me in a cage warded to prevent planar translation [21]. But he is not the one I have been telling you about. In fact my co-dimensionalist was the one who rescued me [22], and then imprisoned my captor – yes, he now walks the paths Between, but he figured it out on his own [23] and I will vouch for him, so there is no cause for alarm.

You are still invited to visit. If you would like to come in our local evening (malapheroth setting 4:6ξy8) you can meet “Ethan” (as he calls himself [24]) and have dinner with us. Maybe you could stop by Plefanri’s and pick up a five-pack of foom [25]?

– Wleracheron

[21] See _Tore von Schatten_ , pp. 129-148, for instructions on creating such wards – and how to break them.  
[22] You’re welcome.  
[23] I still think you should have given me more information. Just the basics, like I said before.  
[24] Actually I was named after my late uncle.  
[25] Two five-packs, please. That stuff is good!


End file.
